Bonnie Ngai and Gabriela Ramos Bonnie Ngai and Gabriela Ramos

My algorithm never ceases to amaze me. I'm the furthest thing from a "backpacker." The thought of having to squish all of my essentials into one bag (I'm a maximalist) and stay in a hostel full of strangers — shared bathrooms are a hard no for me — sounds terrifying. But TikTok has officially convinced me to consider it.

We're dubbing it the "backpacking effect" — hundreds of people are posting transformational videos from their backpacking adventures on TikTok. I'm talking about Mia Thermopolis-level makeovers: the kind that aren't solely physical, but that alter your aura for life.

Take Gabriela Ramos, for example. The 30-year-old was working in car sales for six years when she decided to quit her job and solo backpac

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